


A Study in Destiel and Other Such Ramblings

by badwolfofbakerstreet



Category: Doctor Who, Sherlock (TV), Supernatural
Genre: AU, Angst, Dean Winchester - Freeform, Destiel - Freeform, Drabbles, F/M, Ficlet, Ficlet Collection, Fluff, I can't stop my mind, Johnlock - Freeform, Love, M/M, Parallel Universe, castiel - Freeform, not sorry, sorry - Freeform, yes - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-11-27
Updated: 2014-12-19
Packaged: 2018-02-27 04:39:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 16,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2679452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/badwolfofbakerstreet/pseuds/badwolfofbakerstreet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of angsty, fluffy, sexy and everything in between ficlets. Destiel, Johnlock, Superwholock, Superlock, Wholock, Superwho, WHATEVER! Basically those three fandoms. I'm not gonna throw in Merlin or something crazy like that... But dang, now I might. </p><p>Who knows! Anytime I get an idea for a story, but not a FULL story, I'm gonna throw it in here. SooooEnjoyyy!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Oh, Memories

**Author's Note:**

> We begin with Castiel remembering, it's like a memory within a memory... Within a memory... Have I gone too deep? Will Leo DiCaprio be able to spin his top and wake me up? Who knows. Let's go!
> 
> Also, please pardon any typos... I wrote this on my phone initially, it's kinda difficult to spellcheck!!!

He stepped through the door and Dean looked up, his sad smile telling Castiel that he remembered. This wasn't the first time he'd seen the angel in the last couple of months, since everything went to shit.

 "Hey." Dean said, his arms crossed over his chest.

 "Hello." Cass replied and he couldn't help but remember the last time Dean Winchester had looked at him like that.

 He showed up at the angels hotel room, he wasn't exactly sure how he found him, but he did.

 "Dean," Cass rasped, surprised. He ushered the hunter inside and sat next to him on his bed. The feeling that was swelling in his chest was unmistakable, Dean was a demon.

 "I need help, Cass." Dean said, rubbing at his eyes, "These new... These thoughts.... I can't..." He couldn't quite get out what he wanted to say, but Castiel understood.

 "You're a demon." He stated and Dean turned to him, his eyes flashing black for a moment to confirm the angels remark. "Dean, you have to let Sam help you."

 "I can't..." He choked.

 "Then why are you here?" The Angel asked, slightly angry. Dean turned to him, fully facing him.

 "Like you don't know." He said, smiling suddenly as a hand darted out to cup the angels face.

 "Dean." Cass sighed disapprovingly, but placed his hand over Deans, cupping his fingers with his own. Dean inched forward, his lips centimeters away from the angels.

 "C'mon, Cass, for old times sake." He smiled that winning Dean Winchester smile and Cass crumbled beneath the weight of it, giving in. Their lips connected and he was instantly taken back to the year before, when they had nothing to worry about but spending hours wrapped in each others arms. 

When Dean took Castiel it wasn't the first time he'd felt complete, Dean over him, their eyes locked in an intense gaze as they came apart simultaneously. After, Cass laid back against Dean, his fingers rubbing circles in the hunters palm. He sighed deeply, relieved that Dean could still feel for him, even as a demon. 

"I do love you Dean Winchester." He said softly and Dean's head turned, his nose grazing the side of Cass' head.

"I know you do, baby." Castiel didn't have to look at him to know he was smirking, he could hear the smugness in his tone. He waited patiently for the sentiment to be returned as it had been before, but it never came. 

He was reminded of the first night, right after they'd saved him from April, right before Dean asked him to leave, by request of Gadreel, then calling himself Ezekiel. Dean was unable to tell Cass to leave right away, and instead watched him eat his entire burrito. He didn't know it then, but shoving the phallic object into his mouth was apparently quite enticing. After swallowing thickly, Dean led Castiel to his bedroom and then proceeded to grill him about his experience with the reaper.

"Did she suck you off?" He asked and Cass rolled his eyes, his cheeks burning slightly.

"Dean." He smiled, pushing slightly on the bicep in front of him.

"Embarrassed?" Dean asked, his smile quirked to the side, unbeknownst to Castiel, his eyes were quickly filling with hunger.

"No, just... Ashamed, a bit." He revealed, his eyes dropping to the floor.

"Why?" Dean asked, shrugging, "It's natural, we all do it. So what, she was a reaper, oh well!"

"That's not what I mean..." Cass twisted his mouth, trying to decipher his own thoughts, "I only mean that I didn't have feelings for her. This new human version of me wants for many things and when she kissed me, my body responded."

"Cass, you dog." Dean joked, before he dropped his eyes to the floor, kicking at the ground, a question finding it's way to his lips before he asked quietly, "So, how'd she kiss you?"

"What do you mean?" Cass asked, his head tilting.

"I mean, the first kiss, was it light, or did she stick her tongue down your throat?" Castiel stepped forward then, a strange fire igniting deep in his gut. He took dean's face in his hands and turned his head.

"Well, first, she kissed me here." He placed a chaste kiss on Dean's cheek and could hear the mans' breath hitch. When their eyes met again they were wide with wonder.

"And that got you goin, Cass? Gee." His laugh came out in a short huff of a breath.

"Well, I could just feel that she wanted more... She was insistent on continuing, I let my body go with the flow, I suppose." They were inches apart, their faces so close he could feel Dean's shaky breaths.

"And how did it feel? When you knew she wanted to go further?" Dean asked softly, his lids half closed as he stared down at Castiel’s mouth. Cass smirked slightly, looking down at his shifting feet as he shrugged.

"I don't know..." He looked back up, his wide blue eyes finding a green haven,  "A lot like this." Their noses brushed lightly as Dean nodded, clearing his throat.

"Right." He rasped. Then, as if his arm was moving of it's own accord, Dean's hand came up to cup Castiel’s cheek.

"Dean." He said and the hunter nearly growled, the sound he let out was somewhere near that.

"Cass, you keep saying my name like that, I can't be held responsible for what happens next." Dean smiled a bit, brushing his nose against his cheek again.

"Why?" Cass asked, his brow furrowed in that innocent confusion it usually fell into. Dean rolled his eyes, looking upward for some sort of strength.

"Because you drive me crazy, Cass. Always have."

"I apologize for hurting your fragile mental state."

"It's an expression." He shook his head, smiling, "You're too Damn..." he growled again, unable to find words for what Castiel is.

"Dean... I-" His thought was cut off by Dean's lips crashing against his. The sudden jolt of electricity he felt shoot down his spine from the contact was unlike anything he'd experienced the night before. Their lips moved against one another's in a slightly chaste kiss, no tongues, no teeth, just lips connecting, and slightly sucking.

When Dean pulled back, his hands cupping both sides of the former angels face, he laughed. Cass still had his eyes closed, his lips still puckered ever so slightly, and he couldn't help himself, he kissed him again. Just one quick kiss to solidify the brevity of his actions.

"I warned ya." Dean said, having to clear his throat, "I don't think I can hold myself back from you anymore."

"Why not, Dean?" Cass asked, smiling slightly as he said the mans' name again; Dean shook his head, brushing his lips over Castiel’s.

"I said you drive me crazy."

"Meaning?" Castiel asked, tilting his head in the way that Dean loved.

"Don't make me say it, Cass." Dean leaned back, staring seriously into the blue eyes across from him.

"Say what?" His head was still tilted, his eyes blinked a few times.

"I think my feelings are pretty obvious." Dean shrugged. Castiel’s eyes widened in some form of recognition.

"Oh, yes, you said it once before, you need me." Castiel smiled smugly, his teeth showing a bit as Dean rolled his eyes, his hands slipping down the rest at the top of Castiel’s neck, just as his jaw line. He leaned in again, kissing Cass differently, his lips damper, his tongue flicking to gain access, suddenly massaging against the new humans. 

When they broke this time, Dean rested his forehead against Castiel’s, clearing his throat as his tongue darted out over his lips nervously.

"I love you, Cass." He said quietly, so quietly in fact that Castiel almost didn't hear it. And he found himself rendered speechless, words he wished he could say in that moment but was unable to as he was in awe at Dean Winchesters confession.

It was that memory that ran through his mind in the few minutes that he was waiting for Dean to reciprocate his feelings.

Instead of asking, he asked a different question: "How did you find me, Dean?" He made sure to say the hunter, well, demons name.

"What do you mean?" Dean's voice was still smug.

"I mean, I'm still warded, this body still has the tattoo... How exactly did you find where I was staying?" Cass turned in Dean's arms so he was approximately shoulder to shoulder with him, still on top of him.

"GPS on your phone. You've been here for quite some time. Thought I'd stop by." Dean tilted his head, his eyes dropping as Cass licked at his own lips in thought. He said nothing, so Dean kept talking, "I've gotta tell you though, those broken wings aren't exactly pretty. Though I think I can see some traces of what they used to be... Before." Dean's eyes flicked to Castiel’s shoulders before they met the angels again.

"You can see them?" Castiel’s brow furrowed, a sadness swelling within him.

"Oh yeah." Dean breathed a laugh, unmoved by the angel’s sudden melancholy.

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't talk about them..." He backed away, removing his weight from Dean Winchester, Dean followed his movements, being sure to keep his arm around the Angel. Cass sat on the edge of the bed and found that Dean was soon pressing himself against his back.

"Oops, did I upset you?" His voice was almost playful.

"No. I'm just going to have to get used to you being like this." Cass sighed, leaning back into Dean, who took that opportunity to kiss at the angels neck.

"You'll get used to it." He said between kisses.

"I don't want to." His answer was honest, Dean stopped in his tracks, his lips resting lightly against the base of Castiel’s neck.

"You don't like me like this? A moment ago you were saying you loved me and a bit before that, you really seemed to like it." He laughed, his teeth grazing the angels skin. Cass opened his eyes and stood, escaping dean's grasp as he scoffed, "What!?" Dean shouted.

"There is a way to cure you, and you're just so willing to accept defeat. This is not what you want to be, Dean! You've spent your life hunting demons, you can't let yourself become one so easily!" Cass' angry speech was ended with his throat becoming scratchy and he started to cough as Dean stood from the bed. He was laughing a bit as he watched the Angel.

"I hate to break it to you, sweetheart. I'm already a demon. I'm not in transition, this isn't something that could be stopped, and it sure as hell wasn't my choice!" He ended on a scream, he was nearly in Castiels face, who had finally stopped coughing in time to be pushed against the wall by the angry demon.

"I didn't choose this, Cass. But I kind of like it. The power, the strength, the immortality. You and Sammy don't ever have to worry about me again. Nor will you have to come to my rescue! It's awesome!"

"It's pathetic." Cass rasped, swallowing thickly, his throat raw.

"Think what you want, baby. I'm not going back. The old Dean was weak, he was pathetic." He leaned in, his breath hot on Castiels ear, "He wouldn't have been strong enough to pin you up against the wall and fuck your brains out, but you seemed to enjoy it when I did." Castiels cheeks burned, and he pushed Dean away, disgusted. Dean laughed as the naked angel passed him and began tugging on his pants. He shrugged, seeming to give up as he sauntered over and began putting his own clothes on.

"Guess the honeymoon is over, then?" He sat on the bed, tying his shoes as Cass stood and began buttoning his shirt.

"I guess so." He shrugged. Dean looked up, his eyes flashing black for a second before it dissolved back into green, "Despite your abhorrent behavior, I do still love you, and that's why I need you to let Sam help you."

"I already said..."

"I know what you said, and I understand." Castiel stood tall, his hands on his hips as he breathed deeply, trying to grasp what he was about to say, "And that's why I hope you understand, that until you do get help, I don't want to see you. I can't... I just can't bare it. When you show your face."

"Are you dumping me, Cass?" Dean smirked as he stood up, tugging his jacket on and Castiel shrugged.

"If that's what you want to call it." Dean nodded, walking to Castiel and grabbing his face.

"Until next time." He kissed him soft, it reminded Castiel of their first kiss. Chaste and sweet. When Cass opened his eyes, Dean was gone. As he let out a breath, he started coughing again and groaned, crashing into the dampened mattress.

"Thank you." Dean said suddenly, pulling Castiel from his memories.

"Huh?" Cass asked, shaking it off, "For what?"

"For helping Sam. You didn't have to... And had you not, I'd have probably bashed his head in." Dean scratched at his head as he looked at Castiel, who tilted his head and sighed.

"It was really Crowley... He stole grace for me... Without him, I'd be dead."

"And so would Sammy." Dean smiled sadly, "I didn't think telling that bastard about us was a good idea, but now I think it might have been."

"You did what?" Cass asked, his head snapping up to look at Dean in surprise.

"Yeah... I, uh... Well we were bff's for a minute there... And when I disappeared to come see you, he demanded to know where I'd been. So I told him." Dean shrugged, smiling coyly. Cass took in the sight, filing it away under, 'Dean's most beautiful looks.'

"Wow." Was what he said.

"Blew his mind to say the least." Castiel sat on the end of Dean's bed and the hunter moved to sit next to him, their positions identical and their hands inches apart on the mattress.

"Look, Cass, I wanna apologize..."

"You don't have to." He said, and it was true, "The things you said when you were... Well it wasn't you, not completely."

"I know, but it was still me. Just without my humanity. I was an ass and I treated you like shit, and I'm sorry." Dean chanced a glance in the angels direction.

"Okay." He replied and Dean laughed.

"You're supposed to say you forgive me."

"Oh, well of course I forgive you, Dean Winchester, I will always forgive you." Cass returned the look and their eyes met again. Castiel was secretly relieved to find they were still green and was waiting for them to flash black.

"Good." Dean smiled widely as he slid his hand over, covering Castiels, "Good." He interlaced their fingers and they sat in silence. Cass looked down at their hands and smiled, his eyes feeling wet.

"Cass, are you crying?" Dean asked, slight panic in his voice as Castiel picked up his hand and felt his eyes, there were indeed tears there.

"How did I do that?" Cass asked and Dean laughed, getting off the bed and kneeling in front of the angel.

"Are you sad?" Dean asked.

"No. I'm happy." He replied with a shrug, "I looked at our hands and then... They were wet." Dean laughed, bringing their intertwined hands to his lips and kissing his angels knuckles.

"Have you never cried before, Cass?" Dean asked skeptically.

"I don't know." He replied, his free hand finding it's way through dean's hair.

"Well at least they're happy tears." Dean shrugged, "Will you cry more if I told you that I love you? Cause I really don't wanna deal with a blubbering angel right now." He joked and Castiel laughed, rolling his eyes as he looked down at Dean.

"Say it again." Castiel requested and Dean furrowed his brow for a moment but then smiled upon realization. He got up slightly, so their faces were close and he kissed Castiels cheek, putting his lips against his ear.

"I love you." Dean said and before he could return to his former position, Castiel grabbed his face, crashing their lips together in a frenzy of sweet kisses. Both muttering 'I love yous' when they could. They stayed like that for a while, until Sam came looking for them. 

After an awkward moment, they convened to the kitchen, where they drank beers and smiled. Dean had a cheeseburger. And Castiel stayed, he stayed even when Dean and Sam left to go on a hunt. He would be there when they returned as well. He decided it was better to stay in the company of the Winchesters than to live amongst the treacherous angels in heaven. Dean would help him find his grace. And while it may not be a happily ever after, it would be happy.

 

 


	2. The End of All Things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castiel comes to Dean in the middle of the night, but things aren't all that good.

He was twelve years old, his little brother was sitting next to him in the back seat of their car as their father drove down the road They weren’t on a particularly lit street, the lights were scarce, but every one they drove under seemed to go out. It scared his younger brother so much that every time they went under one, he’d squeeze him tighter. 

“It’s alright Sammy, don’t be afraid.” Dean Winchester said to his younger brother.

“What if there’s a monster?” Sam said quietly, but the car was compact, Dean looked up to see his father turn his head sideways a bit and tilt his ear so he could hear Dean’s response. Sam was too young, he wasn’t allowed to know the truth yet.

“Don’t worry Sammy, the lights going out means our guardian angel is watching over us. There’s nothing to fear when he’s around.” Dean sighed, squeezing Sam back just a bit before releasing his grip all together. Sam held tight, he didn’t let go until he’d fallen asleep.

 

Dean drove down the road, his younger brother asleep beside him. They’d just left a case that ended in a face off between Dean and Cole, it left the elder Winchester feeling a bit down. But he pressed on, he’d get through it, he always did. The road they were on at that moment was dark, and there wasn’t much around. Dean found himself starting to nod, so he pulled over at the next motel. It wasn’t a five star, but it’d do in a pinch; As usual.

“Sammy!” Dean patted his brother on the chest, waking him from his not-so-deep slumber, “Get up, let’s go inside. We got a room.” 

“I thought you were gonna try to make it back to the bunker?” Sam said groggily, stretching his back.

“Can’t, I’m falling asleep.” Dean growled, opening his door.

“Side effect of getting older. Grandpa.” Sam laughed, climbing out of his side, Dean gave him the evil eye and stood up, slamming his door shut behind him. They pushed into the room, the beds were hastily made, and Dean wasn’t sure if the blankets were actually clean.

“Lovely.” He sighed, but was too tired to care. He plopped down onto the closest one, lazily kicking off is shoes as he did so. Sam closed the door behind him and didn’t bother flipping on the lights, he too found his bed soon enough and climbed beneath the surely bed-bug-ridden sheets. He was snoring within minutes and Dean sighed, adjusting himself on the bed, he turned towards the window looking out into the parking lot. They were open just a bit, he could see a thin line of black asphalt backed by a sea of trees. There was one streetlight keeping the whole thing lit, until it suddenly started to spark. Dean squinted, looking underneath it, catching sight of a trench coat before it went out completely.

“Cass?” He asked himself quietly, Sam mumbled something incoherently from behind him. Dean rolled his eyes and cautiously got out of the bed, being sure to pull his knife from his bag before he opened the door of the room. Once outside he checked his perimeter, there was no one around. Deciding he was seeing things, he turned around to head back into the room only to come face to face with the blue eyed, tilted head angel. 

“Hello Dean.” He said and Dean closed his eyes, holding back a sigh of relief. 

“What the hell are you doing?” Dean scolded, “I could have stabbed you!” 

“I apologize for frightening you.” Castiel replied and Dean hid his knife behind his back, going for nonchalant.

“You didn’t.” He breathed an awkward laugh. Castiel continued to stare at him, “So, why are you here?” 

“I needed to speak with you.” The angel said, sounding serious, though he was rarely casual.

“Ok.” Dean shrugged, walking to the impala and sliding back onto its hood, “So speak.” Castiel sighed, walking slowly to the car after Dean. He didn’t get onto the hood, but stood in front of the hunter, his hands in his pockets though they were clearly fiddling with something. 

“I’m not quite sure how to say this...” Castiel began and Dean swallowed thickly, unsure of the small flip his stomach just made. He started realizing how nervous Cass looked, the fiddling in his pocket, the avoided eye contact, and that angel never avoided eye contact, at least not with Dean. When he didn’t continue, Dean snapped himself from his thoughts.

“Are you alright, Cass?” Dean asked and the angel sighed, his eyes falling shut, a hand finally coming out of his pocket and coming to rest on the bridge of his nose, he was obviously struggling with something, “You can talk to me about anything, you know that.” Dean didn’t want to seem too pushy, but since the angel showed up and started acting strange, the hunter was itching to know what was up. 

“The other day, Hannah kissed me...” He said, his voice was a bit more gruff than normal, Dean’s stomach dropped at that statement, he didn’t understand why.

“Ok, and?” Dean pried, if Cass wouldn’t stop talking at every turn, he wouldn’t have to seem so impatient or nosey. 

“She did it to show her vessel’s husband that she’d moved on, that she wasn’t coming back.” 

“Damn, that’s brutal.” The hunter said, and it was.

“I know. But after... She said something that bothered me.” 

“You’re a bad kisser? Your lips were chapped? Too much tongue?” Dean suggested options, drawing a small smile from the angel, it was enough to set his heart a flutter, but only a little bit; At least that’s what he told himself. 

“No.” Cass breathed a small laugh, “She said she felt... Well that she felt. She felt guilty, she felt bad. She couldn’t go on keeping her vessel from her husband. She vacated it.” 

“No shit?” Dean asked, relief flooding through him slightly, though he could tell Castiel was struggling with her decision, “How do you feel about that?” 

“I don’t mind, she was a nice companion, but I couldn’t help but feel that she...” He paused, though Dean didn’t interrupt, he could tell this time Cass would continue, “I felt that she was attracted to me. It made me feel uncomfortable on several occasions. Awkward, I suppose.” Dean laughed a bit, at that moment he wished he had a beer to toss back so he could hide his goofy grin that threatened to sneak onto his face.

“Why?” He said instead, clearing his throat, trying to sound casual. Yes, a beer would have definitely helped, “She was hot, right? I mean, her vessel was... Hot... ish.” 

“Yes, the vessel, Caroline, was a very attractive woman. But I’m afraid I would have only disappointed her.” Cass sighed. 

“Oh, c’mon, Cass. You’ve gotten laid once. Don’t be so hard on yourself.” Dean smiled slyly, the angel’s eyes meeting his briefly before he looked back down. Dean swore he saw a blush burn into those cheeks.

“Not like that, Dean.” Cass half smiled as he stared at his shoes and shrugged, “What I mean is... I suppose I’ve just never really been emotionally available.”

“Cause of the whole angel of the lord thing? I get that.” Dean nodded, his hands rubbing down the sides of his legs, because his palms were sweating. When had they started doing that? 

“No.” Cass stuttered slightly, Dean caught his eyes following the line his hands made as he moved them down his legs, he half smiled, beginning to understand. He was still staring at Castiel when he looked back up and locked his blue eyes with Dean’s green ones, “Because of you.” Dean’s hearing disappeared for a moment after that, he continued to stare forward, seeing only blue pools as his mouth fell open. After a couple seconds he collected himself, clearing his throat and gripping tightly at the bottoms of his thighs, refocussing himself so he didn’t bound off of the car and grab Cass.

“M-me?” Dean asked, real smooth-like, “What do you mean?” He tried to laugh, it came out awkwardly. 

“Dean... Are we really playing that game right now?” Castiel was being straightforward, it made Dean’s stomach flip again, it was happening a lot that night. 

“What game?” He asked, blinking, trying to see if the angel would disappear, if it had all been a dream concocted by his subconscious. 

“The one where you pretend you weren’t staring at me, or where your hand didn’t linger on mine for too long when handing me something, or where your leg doesn’t brush up against mine when we sit next to one another. The signs are there Dean, don’t try to make me feel like a fool.” Castiel was slightly angry, but the frustration was evident and Dean understood. He felt it too, he just hadn’t realized Castiel felt it. 

“Cass, I didn’t know...” He said quietly, shrugging and looking down at his lap, feeling something like complete shit, “How long?” He finally found the courage to ask as he looked back up at the blue eyed angel.

“Since I raised you from perdition, Dean. Since I left my mark.” He stepped forward, placing his hand lightly on Dean’s shoulder, his other hand resting on Dean’s inner forearm, the one that housed the mark of Cain, “The first mark that mattered to you.” 

“It’s the only mark that matters.” Dean muttered, his hand resting atop Castiel’s on his forearm, “I thought you didn’t... That you couldn’t...” He breathed in deeply, his eyes meeting Castiel’s again as the angel rolled them and shook his head.

“You’re an idiot.” He said, “You should have realized that I began to change when I met you. Because of you I am the way I am now. I would have perished long ago were it not for you. Loving you has saved me, I know that.” Dean stared at Castiel for a moment, the cogs turning in his head finally slowed down enough for him to register what the angel had just said; When they did he didn’t hesitate, he abandoned Castiel’s hand for a much better place on his cheek. He rested it there momentarily, caressing a small spot beneath the blue eye he’d fallen for so long ago before he pushed it back into the dark hair he wished was a bit messier. Opting to make it a mess himself he pulled Cass forward, meeting his lips with a hunger he had only discovered moments before. 

The kisses were sweet at first; First kisses usually are. The small pecks soon grew into a series of licks and bites, tongues thrashing against teeth which bit against lips which sucked on one another. It was a vicious yet pleasing circle that Dean never wanted to end. Eventually their breathing became labored and Dean pulled away, his forehead resting against Castiel’s briefly as he caught his breath and he looked down at where Cass was now resting between his legs as he sat on the hood of his car. Dean couldn’t help the smile that grew on his face, and could help the laugh that escaped even less. Soon he and Cass were thrown into a frenzy of laughs and small kisses as they looked openly at one another. Dean did his job well and Castiel’s hair was a mess, the way it was when they first met, the way Dean liked it. 

“Cass, this is crazy.” Dean said, slightly growling as he held onto the angel’s arms, afraid he might disappear. Which was a logical fear, knowing Castiel.

“But it’s right.” Cass said softly, and Dean decided he wanted to hear that tone from Castiel always.

“It is... It’s... This is... What is this?” Dean found himself asking, afraid of the answer, knowing what it was he wanted. Castiel didn’t reply at first, he sunk his lips into Dean’s hair and stroked at the back of his head. Dean soon found his face buried into the angel’s neck as he did this, it was comforting. It was steadfast becoming the hunter’s favorite new position to be in with the angel, though he was sure there would be other positions he favored soon enough.

“It’s goodbye.” Castiel said, so maybe no new positions.

“What?” Dean asked, panic settling in slightly as he pushed back against the angel and looked up wide-eyed at him, “This is what?” He asked again, just in case Cass hadn’t heard.

“I’m going to leave this vessel, Dean. I’m going to return to heaven.” Castiel said bluntly, tears welling up behind his eyes that Dean knew were just for him. 

“Why?” He asked, his own tears threatening to spill down his cheeks, “You can’t leave me, Cass. I still need you.” His voice broke slightly, but he wasn’t ashamed.

“You’ll be fine without me.” Cass said, though his voice was unsure.

“No.” Dean shook his head, his eyes falling for just a moment, long enough that tears spilled over and down his cheeks, “No, Cass.” He looked back up, those blue eyes still staring down at him apologetically and he wished he could return to a moment before when they were full of adoration. 

“I’m sorry.” He said, his eyes falling shut and the tears flowing freely. Dean had never seen Castiel break down, and this moment would stick in his memory as he fell forward, his head resting on Dean’s shoulder as he let the small sobs escape, his shaky breaths tickling Dean’s neck. The hunter wrapped his arms around his angel and let him cry for a moment.

“How do you even know Jimmy is still alive in there? You’ve been torn apart and put back together so many times, Cass.” Dean said it softly, as if he was giving the angel an out so he didn’t have to feel bad, “Besides, I just got you. You literally just told me you love me and now you want to leave? That’s bullshit, Cass, and you know it.” Cass stopped shaking for a moment backed up, his wet red-rimmed eyes staring deeply into Dean’s as he leaned forward, kissing the hunter. It was a tear-soaked kiss, but it was just as amazing as the others, more meaningful somehow. 

“I have to let him live.” Castiel said, “I’d be selfish to be happy with you, but not allow Jimmy to be happy with his family. With the people he loves.” 

“So? Be a little selfish for once, it’s not a sin.” Dean smirked and Castiel smiled, “There’s that smile I love.” He said, a breathy laugh escaping and he wanted to kiss that smile, to devour it and never let it go. 

“But it’s not mine.” Cass said suddenly and Dean opened his mouth to reply, but quickly shut it, realizing it was the truth. He sighed, pressing his head into Castiel’s chest as he gripped the angel’s back, not wanting to let him go. Cass ran fingers through Dean’s hair as he searched for what to say. He moved his hands down and cupped the man’s face, turning his head up so he could look at him, “You might have to let me go now, Dean. But I will always be here. You’ll know it when I am.” He moved a hand down to Dean’s shoulder, “We’re connected.” Dean rolled his eyes to the side and tried to turn his head to hide his tears but Cass held him there, not letting him turn away. So Dean kissed his palm instead, resting his head against the hand he’d so longed to hold, so he held it. He brought his hand up and covered Castiel’s interlocking their fingers.

“We should have done this sooner.” Dean laughed, smiling up at his angel who smiled back down at him. 

“Yes, we should have.” 

“It was never the right time.”

“No, it wasn’t.” Cass laughed.

“Between you getting duped by Metatron and me turning into a demon...” Dean began, pulling Castiel’s hand down to his lap and he began to rub circles on the back of it. 

“Let’s not forget about me trying to be God, or the apocalypse.” Castiel added with a smile.

“Could have happened in Purgatory.” Dean shrugged, smiling up at Cass who rolled his eyes.

“Right, with Benny there and us running for our lives. We could have stopped to have a heartfelt pow wow at any moment.” Castiel’s sarcasm was strong. 

“We’ve been really busy.” Dean laughed, gripping Cass’ hand tight.

“We really have.” Castiel said, sighing sadly as he looked up at the sky, seemingly searching for something. 

“So what happens if you exit Jimmy’s body and he drops dead? Can you climb back in and we can live happily ever after?” Dean asked, anticipating the answer he almost already knew.

“No. I cannot get permission from a corpse... So...” Cass seemed almost hesitant now, unsure if Jimmy would be in there. He’d been proclaimed brain dead before, but Castiel was still in there, the wall he’d built was still up. 

“Damn...” Dean sighed, “No chance of getting you to stay? Even if I asked nicely?” He smiled fakely and Cass laughed.

“I’m sorry.” Cass said quietly, looking down at their intertwined hands.

“I’d ask for a little more time, but you’re pretty set on this...” Dean sighed sadly, pushing himself up off of the impala. 

“I am.” Cass confirmed, though he sounded like he might be trying to convince himself.

“Alright, well if this is the last chance I’ll have to kiss you...” Dean said and leaned in, his free hand cupping Castiel’s cheek, his lips soft and giving as he caressed Castiel’s tongue with his own. The kiss was slow and agonizing, every second that passed made Dean want to cry, but he held back. When it ended and they broke apart, Dean stepped back, releasing Castiel’s hand. He breathed deeply, his green eyes meeting with Castiel’s blue ones for probably the last time. “I love you, Castiel, angel of the lord.” 

“And I, you, Dean Winchester.” Cass half smiled, tightlipped, “Goodbye.”

“See ya.” Dean half waved as he pushed his hands into his pockets as Cass tilted his head up towards the sky, his mouth falling open as a blue mist escaped it. It circled around Dean for a moment before it continued up. Dean lost sight of it as he looked back at the now vacant vessel. It stood rocking for a moment before the eyes opened. Dean caught the blue eyes in his, but immediately understood that it wasn’t Castiel looking back at him.

“Hi Dean.” Jimmy said, his voice completely different from the angel’s, “Long time no see.” He scratched his head awkwardly.

“You remember everything, don’t you?” Dean asked.

“Uh,” He cleared his throat, nodding and looking around, “I do. Yeah...” 

“Alright, give me a moment, I’ll wake Sam up, we’ll take you home.” Dean sighed, walking past Jimmy.

“Thank you.” Jimmy said, leaning against the impala.

“Don’t do that.” Dean said, turning back momentarily to look at the still trench-coat clad man who was quickly standing. Dean went inside and woke up Sam.

“Huh?” Sam sputtered awake as Dean shook him, “What’s up? What’s wrong?” He asked, hopping out of bed and fumbling for the light. When he turned it on, he saw Dean’s eyes, wet and red, “Are you ok? What happened?” He looked around for signs.

“Uh...” Dean scratched at the back of his head and cleared his throat, “Cass is gone.” 

“What? What do you mean, gone?” Sam asked, running his hands through his hair.

“I mean, he felt bad so he went bye bye. We’ve gotta take Jimmy back to Illinois.” Dean replied, picking his bag up off the floor and throwing it onto the bed. He sat on the edge and began angrily tugging on his shoes.

“Jimmy!?” Sam exclaimed, running to the window and looking out to see Jimmy standing awkwardly bobbing his head to something. 

“Yes, Jimmy Novak, Castiel’s vessel. We’re taking him home.” He stood up, slinging his bag over his shoulder, “You coming?” He turned and began walking away.

“Yeah, I’m coming... Dean!” Sam said, stopping his brother from heading out the door, he turned back, his eyes wide with anger and annoyance, Sam knew it was all for show, “Are you ok?” He asked and Dean let his facade falter for a moment before breathing deeply and turning to walk out of the room.

“I have to be.” He shrugged and closed the door behind him. After a couple minutes Sam joined them and they hit the road. 

 

Dean was 35, driving down the street with his little brother in the front seat next to him. The road they were on wasn’t very well lit, every street light they drove under seemed to burn out. The hunter wasn’t scared, just annoyed and the headlights weren’t doing their job.

They passed under one well lit light that burst into a cascade of sparks as they drove under it and Sam breathed a small laugh. Dean looked over at him, confusion marking his face.

“What?” He asked.

“Nothing, just...” He looked up at a light as they passed under it and it too burnt out, “You think that’s him? That’s Cass, watching over us?” Dean’s eyes widened as he looked back to the road, his eyes catching a light as it went out and he smiled, rubbing a hand over his shoulder as he did so.

“Yeah, yeah I do.” 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm not even sure if Castiel COULD leave his vessel in the state he's in... It's not even HIS grace, so if it left his body... Wouldn't it just be someone else's grace? I don't even know... And Jimmy is probably NOT in there anymore. Just sayin. But this idea came to me.. and... well... SO MUCH ANGST I'M SORRY!


	3. Somebody that I used to Know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John used to know a fellow in the war, a strange fellow. American, too. He disappeared quite often, but when he was around, he was a damn good soldier. When John discovers his secret, his life will never be the same.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Superlock, was gonna be a two parter, but hey, I lost inspiration!

John Watson stared at the American amongst their ranks. He was nice enough, though he didn't really talk much. It was one of those times where it was quiet, no guns firing, no shrapnel flying. Just the ten or so men under his watch. The American was quieter than the rest, especially on this night. He usually disappeared during these times. 

When he'd been sent in randomly without John's prior knowledge he thought it was odd. But the man kept up, was a damn fine soldier, so John didn't protest much. He could fire a gun better than half the men in his squadron.

"Novak." John found himself calling out to the scruffy and quiet soldier sitting on the bunk next to his.

"Yes, sir?"

"Oh call me John. We're off peak hours." John smiled, as did Novak.

"Yes, sir.... John."

"That's more like it. Your name is Castiel, isn't it?"

"It is." He half smiled.

"What brought you out here?" John asked suddenly, "Not trying to pry, just wondering."

"I'm a soldier. It's all I've ever known and...." Castiel looked sort of lost as he spoke, something behind his eyes told of a bigger story, one he wasn’t willing to share. 

"And what?" John pressed.

"Well, my war ended... I needed to find something else to do." Castiel spoke plainly, his eyes blinked a few times and John stared at him.

"I thought the Americans were still at it... Well, I thought that's why we were here..." John asked, slightly confused. 

"That's not the war I was speaking of." Castiel shrugged.

"Alright." John conceded, "So what's it like, America? I've never been."

"It's nice." Castiel answered shortly.

"Good description." John nodded, his hand running through his growing hair. It wasn't regulation length anymore, but neither was his scruff. Nor anyone else's for that matter. As the captain he should enforce such things, but in a war zone there was hardly time for personal grooming.

"Got anyone back there waiting for you?" John asked, trying to make small talk.

"Do you?" Castiel sighed.

"I asked first." John grinned cheekily.

"I do not. I used to have a rather large family, and a couple friends. But they've moved on. And my brothers are.... Locked away." Castiel spoke hesitantly, it made John's brow furrow.

"So you decided to come to war?"

"Like I said, it's all I've ever known." John nodded, looking down at his half eaten food and noticed he'd never seen Castiel eat.

"You hungry?" He held it out to the man who refused it, "You never eat."

"It's not necessary." Castiel shrugged, looking down at his notebook, a photo was sticking out of it. John, being excessively nosy, grabbed it. It was of Castiel and a man around the same age as him. They were smiling, their arms around each other, standing in front of a muscle car. The other man was putting up two fingers behind Castiels head.

"He looks nice, who's that?" John handed the photo back and Castiel sighed deeply.

"One of the friends I spoke of."

"The one who moved on?" John asked, beginning to understand Castiel’s choice of words.

"Yes." Castiel said shortly, stuffing the photo back into his book.

"You seem sort of haunted by something, Castiel." John said settling down into his cot.

"Aren't we all?" Castiel answered, also laying down.

"Yeah. I suppose so."

 

Over the weeks, he and Castiel became closer. They wouldn’t talk about personal matters, or really anything about themselves, they’d just talk. About anything. The weather, the war, America, England. Occasionally Castiel would disappear, and when he returned he’d have a few new wounds that John wasn’t exactly sure how he’d gotten; But he never asked. He would just tell him what he missed amongst the ranks that day and they’d go about their business. Until the day it all changed. 

 

John never saw it coming, the bullet. He was running to a fallen comrade when it hit him, knocking him over. He'd barely had time to register what happened before the black began pooling in from all sides. He was going to pass out. The bullet nicked an artery. He was going to die.

"Please God let me live." He managed to whisper before the blackness over took him. The last thing he saw before being enveloped was Castiel over him, his hand coming to press against his... Forehead?

John shot up in bed. But it wasn't a bed in the barracks it was a normal bed. Big, soft, heavy blankets folded in front of him. He looked around for someone, anyone, suddenly Castiel was there. But he wasn't in his fatigues. He was in a trench coat.

"What happened? Where am I?" He sputtered.

"You got shot. I healed you. Though it was an abnormal process. Unlike any I've ever witnessed. You'll have a scar." Castiel seemed saddened by this.

"You what?" John breathed, panic setting in slightly, "You healed me?"

"Yes." Castiel replied plainly, that same blank look on his face that John had seen dozens of times in the past few months. This time it seemed less odd, and more like it was meant for him. He was supposed to look out of place. 

"What? How?"

"You prayed. I answered."

"Are you God?" John asked, throwing the blankets off of him, almost falling at the sudden pain in his leg.

"That's a wonderful compliment. And you're not the first to ask, but, no I'm not. Alas I am just an angel of the lord. Not the lord himself." John laughed slightly at that, trying to walk, but finding it difficult.

"What is wrong with my leg?" He asked, leaning against the edge of the bed.

"That's another side effect of the weird healing."

"Why was it weird?" A gruff voice asked out of nowhere, John shot up straight only to find himself looking at the same man from the photo Castiel showed him.

"I do not know." Castiel sighed sadly.

"Whatever, you saved his life, Cass. That's good enough." The man clapped Cass... On the shoulder and smiled before taking a drink of a beer that John hadn't previously noticed.

"Where am I?" John asked.

"Sioux falls."

"Where?"

"South Dakota." Dean answered, his brows raised.

"Why?"

"You ask a lot of questions." Dean sighed, John’s expression challenged Dean’s attitude, "Fine. Because Cass thinks of you as a friend and wanted to bring you somewhere safe before..." he stopped talking and looked at Castiel, who sighed.

"Before what?" John asked.

"Before you died." Castiel sighed, "I was worried I couldn't save you."

"Awe Cass, so hard on yourself." Dean smiled and then walked to John, holding out a silver cane, "Try this. Might help."

"Thanks." John said warily taking the cane. Dean and Castiel turned and walked out of the room, John followed.

 

He didn’t stay there for long, spent just a couple months in that small town, at that salvage yard. He learned all sorts of things there. Things he wished he’d never come to know. But there was no going back now. When he left for London, he was ready to live. But found himself afraid to leave the house for fear that he’d encounter something evil. He spent a lot of time staring at his small flat. 

 

Were it not for that chance meeting with Mike Stamford, he might have died in that room. 

 

\--------------------------------------------

 

“Sherlock, what are you doing?” John asked his increasingly irritating, yet somewhat endearing, flat mate; Who was at the moment, upside down in his chair. John had just emerged from the loo, where he enjoyed a rather invigorating scrub down, having been covered in blood, sweat and an odd sticky substance from their last case.

“Bored.” Sherlock sighed, flipping around and getting off the seat. He suddenly grabbed the towel John had draped over his shoulder and began tying it into a knot. John sighed.

“We’ve _just_ finished a case.” John eyed his incessantly needy friend.

“Yes. It’s been two hours. I’m ready for another!” Sherlock widened his eyes dramatically and John scoffed. They laughed, as they often did. Sherlock handed the towel back to John, who’s hands touched Sherlock’s (as he often tried to stop them doing, but failed) as usual, only this time he let them linger. 

Sherlock’s face softened slightly and John gulped before taking a tentative step further. It might have been in his mind, but John swore Sherlock did as well. Their hands were still grasping the towel when Sherlock halted, his eyes flicking up and narrowing at the sound of wings flapping.

“John.” A gruff, yet familiar, voice sounded through the flat. Sherlock looked back down at John, confused. John sighed, closing his eyes and turning to look at the trench coated angel he knew would be standing there, “We need your help.” What John hadn’t expected to see, was Sam Winchester next to him, holding up a broken and bloody Dean. 

 

John didn’t have much time, he ordered them to lay Dean down on the couch and ran about the flat, gathering supplies while Sherlock stared in confusion. He stared at the Winchesters, the one passed out and bloody and then the worried looking one standing over him, shouting things at John. He then stared at the one wearing a dark brown trench coat, who stared at Dean. His brow was furrowed in worry, and he rubbed his hands together, he wished he could help, but couldn’t. Sherlock finally gave up trying to deduce the people before him and sat in his chair.

John ran back into the room with towels, water, and a medical kit he must keep in his room. He sat down next to Dean and got to work.

 

“Why can’t you heal him?” John asked as he pressed a towel into the gash in Dean’s stomach.

“Something in him is rejecting my healing. I believe there is residual demon blood.” Castiel explained and John stopped for a moment, his eyes wide with concern.

“Dean... Was possessed?” John asked, moving the shirt aside to reveal a very much in-tact anti-possession tattoo.

“No.” Sam cleared his throat, answering sadly.

“But Cass said demon blood...” John murmured as he looked back down at Dean.

“He _was_ a demon.” Sam said, turning his eyes to Sherlock for a brief moment. The detective stood, unmoving, staring at Castiel.

“Hey, uh...” Sam said to Sherlock.

“Sherlock.” John helped him out. 

“Right, Sherlock... You ok?” Sam asked, Sherlock barely turned his head, “It’s a lot to take in at first.”

“I’m fine.” Sherlock scoffed, “I’m just connecting the dots.” He said simply.

“Uh, okay.” Sam nodded, looking back to where John was stitching up his older brother. 

“Why come to me? Why not just take him to a hospital?” John asked the angel.

“This was quicker. I didn’t want to raise any alarm.” Cass answered, staring back at Sherlock.

“Oh?” John asked, slightly intrigued. 

“We have no clue what Dean did when he was a demon. We only know he’s been on the FBI’s most wanted list before, and we didn’t want it to happen again. So, no hospital’s.” Castiel shrugged.

“You’re an angel.” Sherlock said, connecting something in his mind.

“Yes.” Cass said, giving the detective an odd look. 

“I’m on the side of the angels...” He said to himself. John’s hands stopped, seeming to register something himself.

“I suppose you are, yes.” Castiel answered, still confused.

“Moriarty.” Sherlock said, looking to John, who stood slowly, his bloody hands raised in surrender.

“Sherlock.” He took a cautious step towards the detective.

“You knew!!” Sherlock said stepping away, his eyes wide, “Moriarty was a demon, and you knew!” 

“No. He wasn’t a demon, just possessed by one.” John explained quickly, “I tried to exorcise him, but he was bound... There was nothing I could do. The angel blade Castiel had given me was here. All my anti-demon weapons were here and he took my holy water when he kidnapped me!” Sherlock stood, staring at John, his mouth agape before he closed it suddenly, shrugging. Dean coughed.

“You’ll want to return to your patient, doctor.” He smiled warmly at John and then sat in his chair across from Sam. 

 

When Dean was awake and groaning into a cup of tea, they all sat staring at each other.

“So you live with a super sleuth...” Sam said, looking from John to Sherlock, “And you didn’t think it was a good idea to clue him into the fact that monsters are real and you’re kind of a hunter?” 

“I’m not though.” John sighed into his own cup of tea.

“And when Sherlock died?” Castiel asked suddenly.

“What about it?” John asked.

“Did you... Try to burn his bones? Just in case?” Sam asked.

“Burn my bones?” Sherlock asked.

“It’s to make sure that your spirit doesn’t hang around.” Sam said, and Sherlock rolled his eyes.

“He’d be connected to that skull or hat more than his bones.” John laughed and pointed at the fireplace, where the skull was wearing Sherlock’s deer stalker. 

“But you didn’t burn anything?” Castiel asked and John shook his head.

“Couldn’t.” John shrugged, “Two years and not a peep from his ghost. So I figured I didn’t need to. Turned out I didn’t need to because he wasn’t really dead.” 

“Sorry.” Sherlock sighed, annoyed.

“So you just lived here after he died?” Dean asked, wincing when he talked.

“No, I moved out... But now I’m back.” John smiled, looking over at Sherlock who half smiled. Dean nodded as he witnessed their exchange. 

“Why?” Sam asked, interested in the two of them, “From the last post on your blog it looked like you got married and were happy.” 

“Well, things got a bit... Complicated after that.” John said, trying his best to avoid the subject.

“How so?” Castiel pried, his aversion to revealing personal information dissipated after they left the war.

“She shot me.” Sherlock revealed and their mouths dropped slightly in unison.

“I stayed with her for a bit after that. I left her when I discovered she was a cheater as well as a liar. Couldn’t take anymore deception.” John said, sighing. 

“I am sorry, John.” Castiel sighed sadly, as though Mary’s transgressions were his fault, John shrugged it off. 

“So, what do you need my help with? Can’t just be because of Dean.” John changed the subject quickly and the boys glanced between one another. 

“The... Matter with which we need your help is... Sensitive.” Castiel said, glancing sideways at Dean who was still wincing in pain as he took a sip of his hot beverage. 

“Meaning?” John asked, confused. 

“They want us to let Dean stay here, with us.” Sherlock said, sounding oh-so-bored, “It’s it obvious?” 

“Not to me, Sherlock.” John glared, “You know that.”

“Your deducing skills have improved beyond figuring out a simple matter such as this one. Come, now, John.” Sherlock rolled his eyes and turned back to the hunters and angel, who were staring incredulously.

“How was it obvious?” Sam asked, a slight smile on his face.

“You said you didn’t know what Dean did whilst he was a demon, and now you’ve brought him here. You claim it was because you didn’t want to go to any hospitals, but I’m sure there are plenty of people you’ve met in your lifetime who can heal Dean in America. I’m also sure you each possess a certain level of first aid skills yourselves, especially you, Sam. You’re the caregiver, after all.”

“I’m the what?” Sam almost laughed.

“You’re the one who cares... I do hate repeating myself, John, tell him.” 

“He hates repeating himself.” John reiterated with a sorry smile. Sam shrugged and laughed it off, Dean, however, glared. 

“So I’m assuming you want us to harbor Dean here for a while until he’s... Clear...” Sherlock hesitated on the last word.

“We would like Dean to stay here, with you. Yes.” Castiel replied, “He shouldn’t be working cases right now... Not until...” He sighed, turning to look at Dean’s arm, which the hunter had covered.

“Is there something on your arm?” Sherlock asked, Dean glared again.

“I don’t think that’s any of your business.” He replied, jaw tense. Sherlock shrugged and leaned back, deciding these people weren’t worth his deductions. 

“So you’re going to stay here?” John asked, catching up finally. 

“If that’s alright with you.” Sam added and John shrugged.

“It’s fine by me.” He smiled, tight lipped and turned to Sherlock, “Sherlock?” 

“Hmm?” He asked, pretending he hadn’t been listening.

“Is it alright with you?” He asked and Sherlock rolled his eyes.

“I’m sure Mycroft can arrange-”

“No.” John cut him off, “No Mycroft, if he stays here, only you and I can know.” 

“Where will he sleep?” Sherlock asked, almost sounding concerned about the elder Winchester.

“Couch seems fine.” Dean chimed in and they turned to him. Sherlock sighed, relenting, he stood and trudged to his bedroom, closing the door behind him.

“Alright, you’ll stay.” John smiled, he stood slowly, obviously annoyed at Sherlock’s reaction, when he turned to the three extra men, Sam and Castiel had disappeared, leaving Dean by himself. Moments later, Cass reappeared, holding a bag for the hunter. Dean stood, taking the black duffel from the angel, who eyed the hunter warily.

“You’ll call if you get into any trouble?” He asked and Dean half smiled.

“You know me, Cass. I never get into trouble.” He set the bag down and pulled Castiel into a hug; The angel seemed confused at first, but soon wrapped his arms around Dean. John watched their goodbye from across the sitting room, a connection had formed between the two men since the last time he’d seen them, but how strong of a connection he wasn’t sure. 

“See ya, Cass.” Dean said, smiling at the angel who nodded and then disappeared with an almost silent flap of his invisible wings. 

“So...” John started after giving Dean a few moments, which he spent staring at the empty space the angel previously occupied.

“So what is there to do in this town?” Dean asked, turning to the doctor.

“In London?” John breathed a small laugh, “Tons.” He shrugged.

“Can I get a burger?” The hunter asked and John nodded, shrugging again, “Well then let’s go.” He turned to leave the flat but was met by a tall-ish grey haired man walking through the door.

“Lestrade?” John asked and the DI turned to John.

“Hullo, John.” Lestrade half smiled, turning back to Dean, “Who’s he?” 

“Oh, uh...” John hesitated, not knowing if Dean would give his real name.

“Dean Watson.” He smiled, holding out his hand for Lestrade to take, “John’s cousin from Kansas.” Lestrade shook his hand, an incredulous look on his face.

“I didn’t know John had family stateside; Detective Inspector Greg Lestrade.” He shook his hand vigorously and Dean raised his brows, impressed.

“Detective Inspector, huh? Nice.” He smiled and Sherlock was suddenly behind them.

“What do you want, Graham?” He said the wrong name on purpose, John was well aware of this, he was annoyed, it was obvious.

“Oh, Sherlock!” Greg turned, “There’s been a double homicide in Kent, will you come?” Sherlock scoffed, stepping forward, throwing his coat on.

“Text me the address.” He began putting on his scarf, Dean watched with wide eyes as Lestrade nodded and hurried out of the flat. As he passed John he looked back at Dean and then back to his blogger, “Coming?” 

“What both of us?” John asked, turning to Dean.

“Yes.” Sherlock replied.

“I don’t think going on cases with you is quite what Sam and Cass had in mind when they said to take a break.” Dean scratched at his head, though he knew he wanted to go.

“Well you can either sit around here all day, twiddling your thumbs, or you can come see what a real investigation looks like.” Sherlock scoffed and turned with a sweep of his coat. John looked to Dean, who smiled suddenly. They threw on their coats and went off after the detective.

 


	4. Get The Gang Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean wakes up to a knock on the door. A door they weren't aware existed. What's on the other side of that door? Well it's hard to explain...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Experimenting with present tense! Weeeeeee!
> 
> (also I began this before the most recent episodes... soo... keep that in mind!)

Dean shoots up in bed, he thought the noise was in his dream, but he just can't ignore it anymore. Grumbling obscenities, he throws his legs over the side of his bed and stands.

"Sammy!" He shouts, scratching at his head as he exits his room, "Sammy quit it with the pounding, would ya? Some of us like to sleep after hunts!" He's at the end of his sentence when he turns the corner and almost runs face first into the brother he was just yelling at.

"It's not me." Sam says.

"Yeah, I can see that now, thank you." They stand in the hallway, the pounding persists.

"Maybe we should go check that-"

"Yeah, let's go." Dean cuts off his brother and proceeds with the search in haste.

The noise is loud but not steady; it's as though someone (or something) is banging on a door to be let in. But which door?

The one thing that can be said about the Men of Letters bunker is that it never ceases... it just doesn't end, at all. It's huge, way too big for two brothers to navigate and maintain every section; so when the Winchesters arrive in a section they seldom frequent, they aren't surprised to find a door made of steel staring them in the face.

"Dude, don't tell me this is a prison cell with a really pissed off thing inside." Dean whined, not wanting to open the door.

"It doesn't have a lock... just a normal handle." Sam reasoned, reaching out And touching said door knob.

"So open it."

"Why can't you open?"

"You touched it first."

"Fine." Sam scoffs at his brother but turns the handle anyway.

Half expecting to see Charlie returned from her journey to Oz on the other side, Dean isn't surprised when a female's hands reach out, trying to grasp at Sam; she nearly topples over, but manages to catch herself as she coughs, some blood splatters painting the floor.

"Woah, are you alright" Sam asks, looking at the girl. Dean checks the room she was in, which turns out to be an empty closet.

"Better question, where'd she come from." Dean asks as the girl wheezes slightly.

"Here's an easy question... Uh, who are you?" Sam tries, the girl opens her eyes, breathing in sharp, it seems to pain her.

"Deanna..." she struggles, "Deanna Winchester."

"Did you just say Winchester?" Dean asks, dumbfounded.

"I did." She says, finding her way to her feet, leaning back against the door frame. She winces in pain as she catches her breath, coughing a bit more. Her brownish hair falls in her face and she moves it out of the way, standing as tall as she can at that moment. Dean and Sam stare, wide eyed and open mouthed.

"I see you two have a lot to say." She says, wiping at her mouth and pushing past the brothers. They exchange a look and then slam the door shut, following her through the bunker.

Seeming to know her way, she makes it to the kitchen, where she downs an entire glass of water and then refills the glass, sipping it.  
"So why were you in the closet?" Sam asks, after giving her a few minutes to collect herself.

"I have a better question..." she reaches behind her, drawing out a gun... Not just any gun, Dean's favorite gun. He turns his head, the gun is sitting on a table in the kitchen, he turns back to Deanna, she is in fact holding the same gun.

"What's that?" Dean asks, smiling angrily at the girl holding them up.

She returns the glare, but also cooks back the hammer on the gun, "Who the hell are you and how did you get into my bunker?"

"Your bunker?" Dean laughs, Deanna keeps staring at him down the barrel of her gun, she tilts her head, unamused. Dean clears his throat, looking sideways at Sam,  "Sorry to burst your bubble, sweetheart, but this is our bunker." Dean shrugs and Deanna scrunches her brow, confused.

"What do you mean?"

"He means that we live here, have been for a while now." Sam interjects, hoping to take some of the heat off of Dean.

"Damn him! Did he send me into the future!" She drops her gun, uncocking it and putting it back.

"Who?" Dean asks.

"Not important." She says, obviously stopping herself from saying anything too revealing, "What year is it?"

"Uh, 2014." Dean answers and Deanna raises her brows.

"Huh?" She asks, walking past him and into another room, sitting at the long table.

"What year are you from?" Sam asks as they follow her.

"2014..." She says quietly, tapping her fingers against the table. Dean and Sam exchange yet another confused look and sit across from her.

"Look, sorry... Deanna..." Sam starts, "But did you say your last name is Winchester?"

"Yeah." She says, shrugging, "My parents were John and Mary."

"What?" He asks, Dean grips his shoulder for a moment, stopping him from continuing.

"When were you born?" He asks. Deanna rolls her eyes at all the personal questions.

"1983." She replies and Dean clenches his jaw, looking at Sam. 

"Why did you think you were sent into the future?" He asks.

"Because there are two strange men in my house..." she said plainly, "and there Aren't demons everywhere, I'm assuming, or you'd have opened the door guns drawn."

"Demons?" Dean asks.

"Why would there be demons everywhere?"

"My sister..." Deanna begins, having to collect herself for a moment before continuing, "My sister closed the gates of hell... it cost her her life and..." she stops talking in favor of looking at her hands.

"And... what?" Sam urges.

"It was all for nothing."

"Why?"

"You really don't know?" She scoffs, standing up and running her hands through her hair.

"No we don't. Please, explain." Dean rolls his eyes.

"When the gates were closed, we thought every monster and demon would get trapped inside forever, but it expelled all of the demons... And then closed the gates. Forever. They have nothing to be sent back to when exercised, the only way to get rid of them is to kill them, and there aren't enough angel blades in existence to kill all the demons of hell. Especially not the knights."

"Pardon?" Dean blinks a few times, absorbing what she said.

"And Sam, she died for absolutely nothing... She converted Crowley and then died... and then all Hell broke loose."

"Literally." Dean finishes and Deanna nods, sniffling slightly.

"So, that's why you were sent here." Sam asks, ignoring the part about her sister being named Sam.

"Yeah, Cass, that idiot, tried to save me... said he'd send me somewhere safe and that he'd follow when he could... But..." She shakes her head, "I'm not sure he knew where he sent me. I don't even know where he sent me."

"I think i have an idea." Sam says, clearing his throat And standing.

"You do?" She asks, hopeful.

"Yeah... you see, I don't think Castiel sent you to the future."

"Clearly. Wait how'd you know his name is Castiel?" She says, becoming slightly confused and slightly wary. 

"Because we have our own Castiel." Dean says, catching on.

"Huh?"

"Deanna, I think you're in an alternate universe from your own."

"What makes you think that?" She asks, skeptical.

"Because I'm Sam and this is Dean..."

"Winchester." Dean finishes with a smile.

"Winchester?" Deanna repeats, a disbelieving look smothering her features.

"Yes. Our parents were John and Mary." Sam says, repeating what Deanna said only a few moments earlier.

"So you're saying... This is an alternate reality... And you're the male version of me..." She says, looking at Dean, "And you're the male version of Sammy." She laughs to herself, "She was a tall freak."

"So when Cass saved you, he sent you here..." Dean says.

"Yeah... Wait, is your version of Cass a chick?" She asks, suddenly excited.

"No. He's a... He." Dean replies, clearing his throat awkwardly.

"So, you're gay too?" She asks suddenly and he is taken aback.

"Huh?" He asks, looking to Sam, his cheeks burning red.

"Well in my universe... I guess... I was pretty gay. Like hardcore. Got any girl I wanted." She says proudly, and for a moment Dean is slightly turned on, until he remembers it's basically himself he's talking to, "But then I met Cass." She ends the sentence there, says nothing else.

"And you..." Dean tries to help her continue, but is suddenly worried about the end of her story.

"We got together." She says, as though it should be obvious, "What, you and your Cass didn't?" She raises her brows in surprise and Dean looks again to Sam who's stifling a laugh.

"Not yet." Sam says and Dean shoots him a warning glance and he coughs back his laugh, nodding, "Right, uh... Well you can stay here for the time being. Find a room, make yourself comfortable." He smiles and beckons for Dean to follow him and they walk around the corner. 

"I don't trust her." Dean says immediately, once they're out of ear shot.

"Why?" Sam laughs and Dean looks to the side, crossing his arms, "Because she thought you were with Cass? C'mon, Dean. She's just going based off of her own experiences. Give her a break, the girl just found herself thrust into another dimension."

"Fine." He sighs, "How do we help her?"

"I don't think we do, Dean." Sam shrugs, "She was sent here because her world was pretty much ending. I think she's here for good." Dean lets out a huff and nods, turning and walking back into the room to sit across from Deanna. 

They stare at one another, the same eyes peering across the table, trying to figure out all they can. 

"So... You're gay?" Dean asks, figuring it'd break the ice; Deanna laughs.

"Was." She shrugs, "Well, I guess bisexual is the preferred term." Dean pouts slightly as he considers the label, "And you're... Straight?" She seems almost disgusted.

"Well..." He clears his throat, "Yeah. I've never... Uh, you know." His cheeks burn slightly and he smiles, shaking it off, it's time to change the subject, "Question... Did you go to hell?" 

"Yeah... That's how I met Cass." She runs a hand lightly over her shoulder, "He saved me." She quirks a sideways smile and Dean feels a burn rise on his cheeks again; he often felt the same way whenever he saw the stupid hand print on his arm.

"Sucked, didn't it?" He asks, sighing, he already knew the answer. 

"So... If your Sam didn't close the gates of hell... What happened?" She asks, eager for the answer.

"I stopped him... But Metatron tricked Cass into closing off Heaven. Turned him human for a bit." Dean says, her face lights up.

"He's human?" It's as though that's the best piece of information she's ever heard, as though it's what she's been waiting for.

"No..." Dean clears his throat, "Not anymore... But, uh, after the doors of heaven shut, all the angels fell. Souls had nowhere to go, were stuck on earth... It was awful." 

"What's that?" She asks, her eyes stuck on Dean's arm where his shirt sleeve has risen.

"It's um..." He half smiles, covering the mark with his hand, "It's nothing." 

"I don't have that." She says, showing her arm.

"Yeah, well, you wouldn't have needed it, would you? In your universe, Crowley became human... There was no battle over the throne of hell." Dean says, becoming slightly testy.

"No, just a battle over earth." She mutters. They sit in an awkward silence until there's a commotion at the front door.

"I came as soon as I could." The gruff voice sounds through the bunker; Deanna sits up, excited.

"Castiel?" She asks, wide eyed, until she sees him and laughs.

"What?" He asks, looking at himself, checking for stains, he looks to Dean, "What?" 

"What are you wearing?!" She laughs harder, "You! You look like Crowley!" She's close to tears as she leans back against her seat, her hand over her stomach.

"I look like what?" Castiel asks, confusion evident in his eyes, though he's usually always confused. 

"He doesn't dress like that in your universe?" Dean asks, "What's he dress like?" 

"Usually in sharp suits, all black..." Deanna says, "Looks a lot sexier that way." She has calmed down enough to look at Castiel without bursting into a fit of laughter. Instead, she stands, making her way to the angel, "Although..." She reaches out, stroking a thumb across Castiel's cheek. He stands still, still confused, "You have the same face. And the same personality, I have no doubt."

Dean clenches his jaw, he's half jealous and half annoyed, though whether he's annoyed at his jealousy or at the scene before him, he's not sure. 

"I'm sorry..." Castiel says finally, pulling his face away from the prying hand, "Who are you?" He steps around her and walks closer to Dean; his now close proximity calms Dean's anger a bit. 

"Oh!" Sam says, hurrying into the room, "I didn't expect you to get here so soon, Cass!"

"I was already on my way." He says gravely, "I've come with information about the mark, but I see there's company. This is what your message was saying?" He asks the younger Winchester.

"Uh, yes." Sam replies, "Cass, this is Deanna. She was sent here by her own universes version of you." 

"An angel would not open the door between universes unless there was a good reason." Castiel says dryly, "I'm sure he had one." It isn't a question, it's a statement and he's turning, looking down sadly at Dean, who until now, was staring at the back of the angel's head.

"Cass." Dean greets him and Castiel smiles slightly, Dean rolls his eyes, "That means bad news." 

"Yeah, he sent me cause Demon's have taken over!" Deanna cuts in, not ready for their conversation to be over, "Sorry to interrupt the moon eyes, boys. Jesus, now I know what Sam was talking about." 

"Sorry?" Castiel asks again, Deanna scoffs and plops into a chair.

"Fine, tell him what you came to tell him." She throws up a hand in surrender. Castiel nods and looks back down at the hunter. 

"I'm afraid the mark cannot be removed." He says, "It can only be passed onto another person." 

"Great, so either I'm stuck with this for the rest of my life, which apparently will be very long... Or I give it to another sorry sucker." Dean scrubs his hands over his face and sighs, he shakes his head, "I can't do that to someone." 

"What is this mark?" Deanna pries, "That thing on your arm?" 

"Yes." Castiel says, "Dean took on the mark of Cain to defeat the knight of Hell, Abbadon." 

 "That little mark can take down a knight?" She asks, impressed.

"No, but when paired with the first blade it can." Castiel reveals and she is again confused.

"The first blade?" She asks, "I thought it was a myth." 

"Perhaps in your world it is." He says, "But here, it isn't. And he used it." Cass says and for a moment Dean can't figure out if he's saying it with disappointment, or some sick sense of pride. 

"Yeah, and I died and became a demon." Dean cuts in, "It wasn't all flowers and cupcakes, Cass." 

"I'm aware of that, Dean." Castiel replies, the grave look returning.

"So I can't get rid of it without burdening someone else in the process?" Dean says, more to himself than anyone else.

"I am afraid so." The angel says and they sigh simultaneously.

"Who would even want it?" Dean asks, looking from Sam to Cass and back again, "It's a tool for defeating knights of Hell... Nothing more." 

"It's a darkness." Castiel says, "There's nothing that can stop it from getting what it wants. A high death toll." 

"And it's starting to work it's way into your system." Sam says, "It's getting harder for you to resist it's urges." 

"I know all this!" Dean shouts, "Don't you think I know this?" They burst into a fit of arguing about the mark. Dean refusing to put that pressure on anyone else and Sam and Castiel telling him it's his only choice.

"Give me the mark." Deanna interrupts suddenly and they all turn, surprised.

"What?" Sam asks, his eyes wide.

"You heard me. Give it to me. Send me back. I'll be unstoppable. Maybe even save the world." Her eyes are filling with hope, fast. 

"Even if I wanted to give you the mark... Crowley has the blade." Dean says, "We'd have to get it back." 

"So let's do it." She says, standing from her chair, a new determination filling her, "Let's go find Crowley and get the damn first blade back." 

For the first time since receiving the mark from Cain, Dean feels hopeful that he's going to finally be rid of it. He stands, looking from Deanna to Cass to Sam and then back to Cass, who's beginning to smile. He turns back to his female counterpart and nods, "Alright. Let's go." They all smile and shout excited words when there's a knocking sound.

They all grow quiet and look past Deanna. Their eyes are all wide, well all except Castiel, who wasn't there that morning when Deanna came through. They turn and start walking towards the sound of the knocking, which is coming from the same general are where Deanna came from.

"It better not be a knight of hell." Dean growls as they near the door and Sam shushes him.

"Think positive." He urges and Dean scoffs. By the time the four of them are standing in front of the door, the knocking has turned to a small tapping. 

"Are you just gonna stand there, or are you gonna open it?" Deanna asks, though she isn't making any moves to open it either. Sam is the one who steps forward, and reaches out. When he opens the door, two men fall through; he jumps back as they hit the ground.

One of them is dressed in a trench coat, his brown hair a mess. The other is wearing all black, his face covered in a thin layer of scruff. 

"Cass?" Sam asks suddenly, the man in the trench coat looks up and smiles.

"Who are you?" He asks, his British accent a stark contrast to the rest of their American one's.

"Oh god!" Deanna says, rushing to their side, she grabs the man in black from the trench coated one, "Cass?" She shakes him, he's passed out cold.

"This is strange." Trench-coat Castiel says, staring down at trench-coat Crowley who's hoisting himself off the floor.

"Yeah it is." Crowley says, brushing off his jacket, "You've got a keen sense of style though, angel boy." He winks and pushes past Dean and the angel, walking down the hall. They watch him walk off and roll their eyes, collectively; Sam goes after him. Deanna is still hovering over her Castiel, worry creasing her brow. The other Castiel, or Cass number one as Dean likes to think of him at this point, sighs and kneels down, touching his fingers to the sleeping man's forehead. 

He wakes up, gasping for air as if he'd just been saved from drowning. As soon as he regains his composure, he blinks, his eyes focussing on those around him. His brow is furrowed as he looks from Dean to Cass, but his confusion is gone in an instant the moment he lays eyes on Deanna. Saying nothing at all, he raises a hand and caresses her cheek. She lets out a laugh and a shaky breath as she cups her hand over his and smiles. They put their heads against one another's and allow their eyes to close. 

Unable to bare witness to the disgustingly sappy moment in front of him a moment longer, Dean clears his throat. His Castiel looks to him, confused and leans in, "I don't understand... She's the female version of you... But..." He stops and tilts his head slightly at the two of them, who are now kissing lightly and speaking softly to one another, "She seems to be... Dating... Me, or.. That me..." 

"They are." Dean sighs, looking to the still confused angel. He laughs and claps the man on the shoulder, turning him and walking away, Castiel in tow. Cass looks back at where the two alternate versions of himself and Dean are still on the floor in an embrace; he smiles lightly.

They find Sam in the kitchen where Crowley is downing a pie.

"Hey!" Dean shouts, yanking the round tin away from the former demon.

"What!" Crowley shouts back, reaching for the pie, "I'm hungry! Do you have any idea what a trip like that does to a human?"

"Human?" Castiel asks, his brow furrowed as he studies Crowley, "Oh, I see now." He sighs and shrugs.

"You can thank wonder woman in there for that one. Her sidekick decided it was a good idea to convert me to close the gates forever.  _Me!_ Of all people, she chooses the bloody king of Hell." He shakes his head and Dean sighs, giving him back the pie. Sam half smiles, sadly, remembering what Crowley was like when he tried to convert him. "So what is this? Where are we? Why are there two of ya?" He asks between mouthfuls of key lime, looking at Castiel.

"I sent Deanna through a portal to an alternate reality from our own." A less-gruff version of Castiel's voice calls out from behind them, they turn to see him and Deanna walk in, hand in hand. 

"So..." Crowley says, confused and slightly surprised, "There's another version of me out there?" He's slightly hopeful.

"Yes." Sam sighs.

"So, who are you then?" He asks, looking up at Sam, "And why are you so tall? You remind me vaguely of a moose." Sam scoffs and turns to Dean who's covering the smile on his face.

"What?" He defends when Sam's look turns disappointed, "It's true." 

"I'm Sam." He says, "Winchester." Crowley nearly drops the pie and Dean inches forward, hand out, his face a look of sheer horror at the thought of wasted crusted goodness. 

"So..." Crowley looks slightly confused, he looks past Sam at his Castiel, "You sent her here, and us, only to be surrounded by the  _same_ people and probably the  **same** problem!" He puts his fork into the pie and sets it aside angrily, "If there are knights of Hell on the loose here, I swear to... What is wrong with you Castiel!?" 

"I assure you, we do not have the same troubles as your world." Dean looks at his Castiel who's began to sooth Crowley, "Sam never completed the ritual, he never turned our version of you into a human, Dean stopped him once he learned it would kill him." Crowley looks up at Dean, his brows raised.

"So... The me here is still a demon?" Crowley asks, almost hopeful, "Still king of Hell?" He half smiles, nodding and straightening his jacket, "Alright." 

"Pardon my asking, but if you're me..." The other Cass chimes in, "Why are your wings broken? What happened to you?" He looks concerned as he stares at his counterpart. Castiel turns and sighs, looking at himself clad in black. He can see his wings, full and beautiful, what his own used to look like. 

"I was... Tricked... By Metatron." Cass #1 says gravely.

"Metatron? He's been imprisoned for centuries." Castiel (men in black edition) says, brow furrowed, "He tried to overthrow the regime, to displace trust in our father." 

"He did, only here, he was in hiding for a very long time. I found him, and he fooled me into helping him complete tasks of his own. He told me it was for the good of Heaven... And..." He sighed, "It closed Heaven for good, all the angels fell." He looked at his counterpart who was staring at him, wide-eyed, his eyes then fell, sadly.

"He took your grace?" He asks and Dean isn't sure whether the alternate angel is angry or sad. 

"Yes. I was a human." He sighs, his eyes flicking to Dean's briefly.

"But you're not anymore..." Cass sucks in a breath at his counterparts prying.

"He's living off of the grace that Crowley stole for him." Dean interjects, noticing the uncomfortable look on his Castiels face at the thought of admitting to stealing grace from one of his brethren. 

"Me?" Human Crowley asks and they all turn to him annoyed, he stares at them with a mouth full of chips. Dean does a double take, unsure of when he'd grabbed said snack food.

"No. Our Crowley stole grace for Castiel so he could help Dean." Sam says, coughing awkwardly.

"Help him?" Castiel in black asks, "What was wrong with him?" He tilts his head, as if trying to see into the hunter.

"He was a demon!" Deanna exclaims, excited to know a part of the story, "Sam cured him, I'm assuming... With the help of Cass." She guesses.

"Why did you need the help of an angel?" Castiel asks, turning to 'himself.' Cass shrugs and opens his mouth, the answer not particularly clear. He looks to Dean who laughs a bit and looks to Sam.

"He was out of control." Sam says, "Cass stopped him." 

"Oh." Deanna's Cass says, seeming to figure something out, "I see. Well I suppose it is to be expected." He smirks and looks to Deanna, squeezing her hand, "Apparently it is fate no matter what universe." He turns back to them, smiling.

"Huh?" Dean asks, glancing from angel to angel. His Castiel is staring, confused, his head tilted slightly as he tries to work out what his doppelganger meant. 

"Oh, no, sweetie. They're not together." Deanna corrects him and then leans in to whisper something that only he can hear.

"Oh!" He says, and sucks in a breath, "Sorry." He gives them one more knowing look before turning around and sitting at the table. 

"So we're going to find Crowley." Deanna declares, "Where could he be?" 

"Why?" Her Castiel asks, almost worried.

"Dean here has the mark of Cain... He's going to give it to me, and we're going to get the first blade back from Crowley... Then we're gonna go kick some demon butt." Deanna smiles and her Castiel half smiles and then it fades.

"That mark is dangerous." He sighs, taking her hand into his, "It's what turned him into a demon." She sucks in a breath and then looks to the brothers and their Castiel. They nod sadly.

"So I won't die." She shrugs, "If you die and come back a demon... I'll just... Not do that..." She says, a new determination finding her, "And then once I'm done, I'll pass it onto someone else who needs it. Easy peasy." 

"Did you just say easy peasy?" Dean asks, slightly disgusted. She rolls her eyes and stands up, her hand still intwined with her Castiel's.

"Yeah, I did." She replies, "Now let's go find this bastard."

"I resent that!" Crowley calls from the kitchen where he's biting into a sandwich. 

Not too long after they're all stuffed into the impala. Dean, Cass and Sam up front and the other three in the back. Crowley insisted on coming so he could get a look at the handsome devil that was himself. He also had insight to where the king of Hell might be holed up. 

They pull up in front of a warehouse in some random town in Missouri and tumble out of the car, one right after the other.

"I never want to sit that close to you again..." Sam says, stretching as he looks at the angel, "No offense." 

"I take no offense from that." Castiel replies, walking up to the front door.

"Hold on now!" Human Crowley calls out, "You can't just barge in, he's bound to have guards posted." 

"I'll take care of them." Castiel says, reaching for the door. His doppelganger stops him.

"You're not powerful enough to take on so many demons." He sighs, taking Castiel's hand off the door and reaching for it himself, "Allow me."  He flings the door open and pushes in, a fight ensues. Everyone, barring human Crowley, rushes in after the angel. They make their way to what can only be described as the main area and Castiel blows open the door. 

Sitting in the middle of the room, on a throne, is Crowley, king of Hell. 

"Hello boys!" He says excitedly, "What took you so long?" He looks from the black clad Castiel to Dean to Sam to Deanna to trench-coat Cass, "Well isn't this exciting. Who are you?" He asks Deanna who scoffs.

"Someone you don't want to mess with." She crosses her arms and Crowley laughs, standing from his seat.

"You've got it the other way around, princess." He waltzes up to her as Rowena steps out from behind his throne. He directs his attention to her Castiel, "I like your style." He winks and looks to the other Cass, "You could learn a thing or two from him." 

"Crowley." Dean growls and the demon smiles at his former best mate. 

"Lovely to see you, Dean. Have you come to beg for my forgiveness?" He laughs and then opens his jacket slightly, pulling out the blade, "Or have you come for this?" 

"We have a better use for it than you do." Deanna hisses from beside Dean, "Give it to us, and we'll let you live." Crowley laughs, stepping back and shrugging. 

"Alright, alright." He says, "What's it for? You're not gonna let Dean-o here have it? He'd go on a spree. Can't have that." 

"It's no business of yours." Castiel says.

"Awe, come now, Cass." Crowley frowns, "Is that anyway to talk to the man who helped you stay alive?" 

His taunting ceases the moment he looks in the doorway.

"What?" He asks, his brow furrowed. But the trench-coat clad Crowley isn't looking at him, he's looking past him.

"Mother?" He asks, surprise on his face. They all look from Crowley to Crowley and then around to Rowena who's just as confused. 

"Mother?" Sam asks, slightly entertained. 

"Don't hurt him, Fergus, he's human." Rowena says to demon Crowley who rolls his eyes. 

"Oh please, I'm not suicidal." He scoffs raising his brows at the group before him, "So, is anyone going to tell me what's with the doppelgangers?" 

"Alternate dimension, blah blah blah, I'm going to transfer the mark to Deanna here-" Dean motions to the female Winchester and she smiles, waving, "She she's going to go fight some demons back in her own world." 

"Ah." Says the King of Hell, nodding and tapping his fingers against his lips as though it's a tough decision to make, "And how do I know you won't kill me as soon as I hand this baby over?" 

"You don't." Says the human Crowley, "You've just got to trust us. Hand it to me." He steps forward, holding a hand out to himself. 

"Right." He says, contemplating the idea, but he stops midway through the exchange, "Wait, if you're human... That means moose succeeded in your universe!" He shouts, turning to the brooding female halfway hidden behind the well dressed angel. 

"Yeah, so?" She challenges, Castiel pushes her further behind him. 

"So, what happened? What was it like? Gates of Hell closed for good? Why would you have to fight- Oh...  _Oh!"_ Crowley begins giggling, tapping his fingers together, "Oh that is lovely isn't it? No one would have expected that." 

"No, we definitely didn't. Now give us the damn blade so we can get the hell out of here." She demands and Crowley shakes his head, patting his chest. 

"You do know that if you die with the mark, you'll be turned into a demon?" At Crowley's words, Castiels hand tightens around Deanna's arm where he's been holding her behind him, the pressure makes her wince slightly. 

"Bobby will just bring me back. She knows how." Deanna stands defiantly behind her Castiel, who's eyes have now filled with worry, not having heard the story about Dean turning into a demon. He closes his eyes as demon Crowley reluctantly hands over the blade to his human self and steps back to his throne.

"Get out of my sight." He says, sitting down and throwing his leg over one side.

"Oh, come on!" Rowena yells, "That was our only bargaining chip! And now you've lost et!" He holds up his hand and she stops talking immediately. With an angry groan she turns her back on the group. They turn and begin to file out of the room, human Crowley tries to hang back to get a better look at Rowena but is pulled out by a similarly dressed Castiel. 

By the time they've made it back to the bunker, tensions are high. Dean isn't completely sure of how to transfer the mark, and Deanna is a bit too excited for his liking. Her foot tapped the whole way home and by the time they're standing around the large wooden table covered in papers and computers, he's beginning to rethink giving her the mark. He'd just be giving it to himself essentially.

"Don't worry." She says quietly to him, probably understanding what he's been thinking, "I'll be fine." 

"I just hope you'll be able to kick as much demon ass as you possibly can." He says, smiling down at her, "And remember, if you die, and come back as one of them, you'll still remember everything about your life... You'll still remember who you were, your sister, Cass... But you won't care." 

"I know." She says, swallowing thickly, they both look over to where their Castiel's are locked in deep conversation, the language unknown to them, most likely Enochian. They turn back and smile at one another.

"I think this is the first time he's got someone who truly understands him, I'm not sure he'll want to give him back." Dean says, smiling sadly to himself. Deanna stares at him for a moment and then shakes her head.

"I think you underestimate how much he cares about you." She says and he slips slightly where he's leaning agains the table.

"What do you mean?" Dean asks, running a hand over the mark on his arm, knowing it should soon be gone.

"I mean... After the mark's been transferred, after we're out of your hair, spend some time with him. Just him. Help him find his grace, whatever. Just, explore your feelings, because you won't be disappointed." Dean continues to stare at his arm, refusing to meet Deanna's eyes, but she stops his prodding and takes his hand into hers, "Trust me." She says and he looks into her eyes, noticing that they're just like his own, filled with the same haunting past, the same pain. But when they flick to Castiel, they're filled with what he's sure is the same amount of adoration that he holds in his own when he looks at Cass. 

"Alright." Dean says, clearing his throat and shaking her hand slightly, as if making a pact that he'll figure out his feelings for the angel, "So how do we do this?" He asks, staring down at their connected hands.

"You're the one who got it from Cain." His Castiel says, the rest of the group joining them, "How did he do it?" 

"Well we did this," He holds up their hands, "And then we did this..." He grasps her forearm, and she does the same, but nothing happens. They all stare at their connected arms hopefully, though the mark remains on Dean's right arm. 

"Maybe you have to tell it to go?" Deanna suggests. Dean sighs and thinks back to receiving the mark and tells himself that Deanna is worthy of the Mark, that she is able to receive it and he closes his eyes, " _Oh."_ She says suddenly, his eyes open to find their arms have begun to glow red, their veins seem to glow and it burns slightly. Deanna suddenly lets go and pulls back her arm, staring at what was once a smooth surface. It's now bumpy and scarred with a slightly pinkish mark, the Mark of Cain did indeed transfer to Deanna. She runs her hand over it a few times, "It's oddly warm." She says, smiling slightly, her eyes filling with hope again as she turns to Crowley.

"I'll take the blade." Her Castiel says, holding out his hand and Crolwey rolls his eyes, handing it over. Cass then turns to his look alike and nods to him, it would seem their conversation was about the dangers of the blade and the mark together. He slips the blade into his jacket and breaths deep, holding out his hand for Deanna to take. 

"Thank you, Dean." She says, grabbing his hand for a moment and then prepares to leave with Castiel.

"Are you coming Crowley?" Castiel asks, and the wary human steps back, holding his hands out in front of him.

"Nah." He says, "I think I'll fit in better here, where I have less of a chance of dying." 

"Human Crowley's a wimp." Dean says, smiling, his hand still clutching his now smooth forearm. 

Castiel draws the sigil and the moment he and Deanna step through the door and it closes behind them, Dean feels like he can finally breath. It's as if a weight has been lifted from his shoulders, or his arm rather. Sam is clearly happier, even though he doesn't look too glad to be playing host to Crowley. 

"So do you think you could make me some identification?" Crowley asks Sam as they begin walking back from the random room. Sam turns back to where Dean is laughing and glares, Dean clears his throat and holds up his hands, but begins smiling again as soon as Sam turns back around. Dean decides burgers are in order for them all, feeling oddly gleeful. He's standing at the stove, pan in hand when Cass comes in, he turns and grins. 

"Look." Dean says, holding out his right arm, Castiel walks closer and holds it up so he can look closer. 

"I can see the outline of it faintly, but I'm sure that will fade with time." He replies, and when his eyes find Dean's he is smiling widely, "I am glad." 

"You and me both, brother." Dean says, laughing slightly, though it hasn't escaped his attention that Castiel hasn't let go of his arm. His thumb in fact has begun to trace lines across the smooth skin, as though trying to be sure it's really gone. Dean suddenly snaps out of it and clears his throat, stepping back momentarily, pointing to his selection of cheeses, "Did you want uh, cheddar, or uh, pepper jack?" He holds up the two pieces, Cass smiles down at his feet for a moment and when he looks back up, his eyes are sparkling with something that makes Dean's knees slightly weak. 

"Both?" He says, Dean nods, trying to say something but all that comes out is a small noise. 

"Right." He finally manages, putting the slices down. He sets out, putting the burgers onto the pan and thinks Castiel's left until he hears him shift beside him.

"Dean." Castiel says, and the hunter turns, smiling into blue eyes.

"Cass." He replies, flipping the burgers for the last time and he begins to place the cheese.

"The other me made me realize something." His voice has gone so deep that Dean barely recognizes it.

"And what's that?" He asks, trying to sound casual though his heart is pounding in his chest and he doesn't understand. He's never had such a reaction to someone that he's attracted to before. 

"That... Well that you mean a lot to me." Cass says, Dean smiles.

"Same." Dean says, grabbing a spatula and shoving the patties onto buns, "I'd die for you." He says, turning and handing Castiel his plate, "And don't you forget it." Cass sighs, sounding almots exasperated, and grabs his plate from Dean, but sets it down immediately. 

"What I'm trying to say here is..." He begins and then stops, as though he's still trying to figure out what is he wants to say. The crinkle between his brow and the downturn of his lips makes Dean's heart skip and he suppresses his urge to grin. Instead he blinks across at Cass, trying, for some odd reason, to make his face as unreadable as ever. Whether he's achieving it is unknown, because when Castiel looks back at him, his eyes are not searching, nor are they confused as they normally are, but they are filled with knowledge. He realizes that Castiel is comprehending something that he can't begin to understand himself. 

"Cass, I don't know what you want me to say..." He says, Castiel smiles and looks down, taking Dean's hand into his own.

"You don't have to say anything." Dean squeezes Castiel's hand and runs his thumb across his knuckles before he feels it pull out of his grasp. Cass grabs his plate and turns, heading in to join the others. Dean is left there, staring at his burgers and wondering what is going to happen now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have... Ideas... Questions... Comments... Concerns... Or yeah, ideas... If there's something you'd like to add, a way you could write this better, a follow up, a companion, anything, write it and post the link cause I'd love to read it! [=


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